


Tea Parties

by kaithartic (bluedreaming)



Series: xxxHOLIC AU [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - xxxHOLIC, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 01:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3339089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedreaming/pseuds/kaithartic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minseok feels like a tea party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea Parties

**Author's Note:**

> written for Jenn's [Sexiu Valentine's Day Project](http://xiukisses.livejournal.com/2600.html)

**Title:** Tea Parties  
**Rating:** PG  
**Length:** 915 words  
**Summary:** Minseok feels like a tea party.

"I have a great idea!" Minseok claps his hands, partly out of joy and partly to wave about the trailing pink silk of his new kimono.

Zitao groans quietly to himself as he scrubs dishes, and Kyungsoo glares and flicks a soap-soaked dish towel end at him.

"Hey!" But Kyungsoo has darted off again. He's probably inventorying the sake bottles from Sehun's grandfather. Minseok is not to be so easily distracted.

"We should have a tea party!" he exclaims in delight, and promptly leaves all the cooking to Zitao, who grumbles loudly but already starts planning a lovely spring menu in this head. Minseok can already see the possibilities of cakes and cookies forming into probabilites — he runs a pink tongue over soft lips.

There's a thread of motion at the door, a current of possibility. _Sehun._ Sometimes the brightness of it hurts. Minseok blinks and drains another tokkuri; the porcelain is no longer hot and the sake runs to bitter on his tongue.

"Zitao!" he calls, waving his arm so he can admire the cherry blossom pattern of his sleeve. "More sake!" Kyungsoo materializes next to the chaise longue, a bottle of Sehun's grandfather's reserve hidded between the folds of his black yukata. Minseok winks. 

There's a commotion from the kitchen as Kyungsoo drops in on Zitao with the bottle, grumbling and giggling and squeals as a certain part-time worker gets flicked with the trailing end of a dishcloth, but it's not important. The shoji slides open and Jongin and Lu Han announce the visitor. They're both clutching sweets; Minseok smiles indulgently. It's hard sometimes, bearing the weight of a dimension, even when you're bigger than you look. _Sometimes it's important to forget, even if for a while._

Sehun steps in and the door slides shut behind him with a soft thump. No dust flies up; Zitao is always thorough with his dusting.

"We're having a tea party," Minseok smiles and inclines his head towards the kitchen, waiting for it. Sehun looks too, a question hovering in his eyes.

"And you're making me do all the work as usual!" Zitao doesn't even bother to poke his head into the room as pans clatter and Kyungsoo kicks his ankles against the cabinet faces from where he's perched on the counter — the sound is unmistakable, as well as his silhouette throught the paper of the shoji.

Sehun laughs. It makes Minseok feel happy again, that laugh. _When I was...not so much young as still in time..._ He needs more sake.

As if in anticipation, Kyungsoo bursts through the doors, twirling the tray of tokkuri in his hands. Minseok holds out his ochoko and Sehun pours him a cup before pouring one for himself and a masu for Kyungsoo.

They take a deep draught of satisfaction, Kyungsoo knocking his masu back in one shot and letting the wood cup collide with the table with the happy sigh. Minseok drains his ochoko and sets it neatly on the wood surface, while Sehun sips pensively. It seems like he has something to say.

"Why am I allowed in the shop now?" he finally asks. Sehun thinks, and ponders, and Zitao might accuse him of being a thick-headed lout but when he actually opens his mouth his questions cut right to the point. _You're so much like your grandfather._ Minseok waits, there's more to the question.

"You told Zitao that only people who need something from the shop can see the shop," Sehun continues slowly, precisely. "But I don't need anything from the shop." This is very true. Minseok runs his fingers along the embroidery of the blossoms on the silk of his kimino. The stitching catches, just barely, on his finger; it's not quite as smooth as the rest.

"It's true that you don't need anything from the shop, not since that time," Minseok says, looking at the threads. Neither of them have to mention _broken glass, and red like Valentine's day_. There's fate, hitzuzen, woven into everything. _Maybe..._ But the past is past, and he's not living in the present. "However, the shop has something you need." _And I need you._ He doesn't say that either.

Sehun looks confused. _Words are so treacherous, so easy to slide around._ There's a clattering from the kitchen and Kyungsoo laughing, Zitao's scowl almost audible.

"The shop recognizes that you are here now," Minseok explains. Everything is hitsuyou. Necessity. "It won't let you go." _I won't let you go._ He watches Sehun thinking, such youth that will later become power. _I love you because you love the one I love._ There will never be a need to explain.

Sehun's eyes are still a bit confused but Minseok knows he'll understand. He goes to pour himself another ochoko of sake but the tokkuri is empty. _That sneaky Kyungsoo._

"Sake!" he calls waving his arm, waiting for the complaints to begin again. _Some things are comfortingly certain, at least for now._

Sehun sips the last of the sake from his cup and sets it down on the table with a soft sigh, completely eclipsed by the angry stomping in the next room and the sound of Kyungsoo delivering another bottle.

"Oh, by the way, could you message Yixing and tell him that he's also invited?" Minseok winks at Sehun who pulls out his phone. From the kitchen they can hear Zitao who has stopped complaining about the work only to start complaining about the lack of time. _All is right with the world._

**Author's Note:**

> an explanation of this au can be found on the [series page.](http://archiveofourown.org/series/98363)


End file.
